(FORTUNE Magazine) – If you want to hire soon-to-retire General Schwarzkopf, good luck. But you'll have the pick of more junior officers. ''With severe defense cutbacks and downsizing, the military won't offer the career opportunities it used to,'' says Roger Cameron, 55, co-owner of the Cameron-Brooks employment agency in Fredericksburg, Texas, one of several firms that recruit soldiers for corporate jobs. His clients: companies like Procter & Gamble, Corning, and Mobil that value ex-military officers for their teamwork and leadership. Last year Cameron interviewed 2,192 officers, placing 267 in jobs ranging from assistant brand manager to production supervisor. Cameron's recruits are 27 years old, on average, with four to six years of military experience; 42% are graduates of service academies. Starting salaries: $38,000 to $45,000. The companies pay Cameron's fee -- over $10,000 per placement. Cameron admits his own military experience is a bit limited. After growing up on an Iowa farm, he enlisted in the Army and served from 1954 to 1957 -- spending the entire time wrestling and playing football against other Army teams. Says he: ''I hardly ever wore a military uniform.''